When the World Ends
by CrimsonObsession
Summary: With the armada now hanging over the Earth, poised to strike, tension all over the globe rises in this sequel to the fic Vindication.
1. Prologue: Gaz

Notes: This is the sequel to my first Zim fic, Vindication. If you haven't read that, you might want to   
do so now. You may be able to understand this fic without it, but it just wouldn't be the same. Just   
click on my name up there and go to it. Don't worry, I'll wait. ............ Done yet? Good, let's continue.   
This fic takes off right after the end of Vindication. I'll probably post a new chapter every week or so,   
but since this first chapter is mucho short, I'm posting two to start things off. Each chapter is told from   
a different POV, and the titles of the chapters will indicate who, of course. I guess that's about all I need   
to say. (By the Tallest, there's more notes on this chapter than fic! Don't worry people, it'll all be over   
soon.) Might as well take this opportunity to send out a HUGE thank you for all the people who reviewed   
Vindication. I tried to respond to everyone, but for the few I couldn't manage, thanks. I feel so loved ^_^.   
Special Massive-o Glomps go to my best friend TD, who's been an invaluable beta-reader (check out   
his fic if you're in the mood for some laughs, here under the name Square Watermelon, or his   
wonderful comic at roganddom.com), and the great and powerful Amethyst Soul for her beta-ing and   
general support, and for allowing me to join her in the insanity of Planet Irth. I loveded you! I loveded   
you guys so much! Okay, I'll shut up now, and let the huge-a-magug angst factor take over. Bring   
the pain!  
  
Disclaimer (Further Disclaimer after each chapter): Invader Zim belongs to the Almighty Thinnest   
Jhonen Vasquez and his army of doom-sporks, and the sentient dust-bunnies at Nickelodeon. Aw,   
aren't they cute? I do this only out of the deepest respect for the characters and the great, great   
mind that created them. I mean it. Vasquez, if you're reading...damn you're a genius.   
  
Oh, Dev and Zey, and any other characters NOT from Invader Zim, are mine. If Vasquez wanted   
to use them he could, but you guys aren't Vasquez, so ask first, please.   
  
Any reviews you give to me will pleeeee-ase Pustulio! Flames will be treated with the same loving   
care you would expect from Nny, and any survivors will be fed to my pet Velociraptor.   
  
When the World Ends  
________  
  
-Tried so hard and got so far  
But in the end, it doesn't even matter  
I had to fall to lose it all  
But in the end, it doesn't even matter-  
-Prologue: Gaz-  
  
It's happened. The mad dream that my brother's been ranting about all his life, the thing he was   
willing to throw away his emotions, his self for...  
  
I don't know when it all went wrong. We were happy, all of us. Well, happy as three such   
emotionally scarred, dysfunctional people could be, anyway. At least, I thought we were. I've   
often wondered, did Dib plan it from the start? Did he willingly throw away my trust? Or did he   
think that once Zim was gone I'd 'see the light'? If that's the case he doesn't know me as well   
as I thought I knew him.   
  
But I suppose none of that matters now.  
_________  
  
(1) When the World Ends, words and music by Dave Matthews and Glen Ballard, performed by   
Dave Matthews Band, album Everyday, copyright 2000 Golden Grey Ltd./Universal MCA   
Publishing. I suggest you all go out and get the album, you won't be disappointed! It's absolutely   
beautiful and totally unique music. If you've heard 'The Space Between' on the radio (and haven't   
been driven insane by the ridiculous amount of play it's gotten) you'll know what I'm talkin' about ^_~.   
  
(2) All quotes taken from 'In the End' by Linkin Park. Album, Hybrid Theory. Unfortunately I   
don't have the copyright information and such. Please don't sue me. For the most part the lyrics   
were added AFTER I wrote the chapters. It's almost eerie how closely they fit to the overall theme.   
Thank goodness for that epiphany, which came at work. It's nice working at a place I can listen   
to the radio. If you haven't heard this one yet, or 'Crawling', which has also been getting alot of   
play, you're missing out. It's truly spectacular music, especially if you like it angsty ^_^. Pick up   
the CD, won't you? 


	2. Chapter One: Dib-Preparation

Disclaimer (Don'tcha love these?): Invader Zim belongs to the Almighty Thinnest Jhonen Vasquez,   
and his army of doom-sporks, and the sentient dust-bunnies at Nickelodeon. Aw, aren't they cute?   
I do this only out of the deepest respect for the characters and the great, great mind that created   
them. I mean it. Vasquez, if you're reading...damn you're a genius.   
  
Oh, Dev and Zey, and any other characters NOT from Invader Zim, are mine. If Vasquez wanted to   
use them he could, but you guys aren't Vasquez, so ask first, please.   
  
Any reviews you give to me will pleeeee-ase Pustulio! Flames will be treated with the same loving   
care you would expect from Nny, and any survivors will be fed to my pet Velociraptor.   
  
_________  
  
When the World Ends  
_________  
  
-It starts with you  
One thing, I don't know why  
It doesn't even matter how hard you try  
Keep that in mind, I designed this rhyme to explain in due time  
All I know-  
  
-Chapter One: Dib-Preparation-  
  
Of course the lab was the first place I'd go, when I saw the ships. The ride there was more than a   
little surreal. Early morning activity was non-existent. An unnatural quiet pressed down on the city,   
not a soul moving on the streets, not a single car. No one knew yet, they couldn't possibly. Even   
knowing what to look for, the ships were all but invisible to my eye, and the news that played as I'd   
left the house didn't say a word about them. Yet the eerie silence persisted.   
  
I'd called Dev from the house and he's waiting as I pull up, his cheeks flushed from the cold. He runs   
up before the car even pulls to a halt, excitement vying with fear on his face.  
  
"Dib! You were right, boss! The military's already spotted them. It looks like they've split the fleet up.   
Two groups, one on each side of the planet, small but presumably well-armed."   
  
The lab is a flurry of activity as we enter, and the guard detail around the front entrance has been   
tripled. Good old Dev, on top of everything, as usual. "What do they propose to do about it?"   
  
"Who knows. They've begun conferences between the leaders of every major country, but everyone   
seems to be looking to us for guidance. After all, we're the ones who saw it coming." We reach the   
lab's communications room, which is even busier than the halls. A soft blue glow lights the room,   
flickering in the darkness, radiating from the computer screens in front of us and the televisions along   
the far wall. The TVs display news shows from twenty major countries, the computers scroll with   
information, sightings, numbers of ships, potential weaponry. Several printers spill readouts onto the   
floor to be trampled by guards and people in labcoats.   
  
"The news crews haven't caught wind of it yet?" Traffic reports and weekend event schedules fill the   
news from the local stations, and I can only guess it's the same for most of the other countries.  
  
"No, but they know something big is up. They've been hounding every government spokesman they   
can find, and it's only a matter of time. Which is why..." he rubs the back of his neck, suddenly sheepish.  
  
"Why what?"   
  
His smile is goofy as usual, but still apologetic. "Why they're moving us out. Now."   
  
I feel a migraine coming on, and growl as I rub my temples. "I should've expected that. We'll have to   
organize crews. Get some of the guards to see to the equipment, and find someone to handle the data   
transfers. Oh, and someone to deal with the hard copies...are we receiving any assistance for this or   
do we get to fend for ourselves?"  
  
That brightens his spirits. "They said they'd send the necessary teams over within the hour. Transport   
and a clean-up crew, and some extra manpower, as long as we can have everything ready the move   
shouldn't be a problem. Suddenly we're a top priority."   
  
"I wonder why." Wonder when I became so sarcastic. "Where the hell is Zey, anyway? You contacted   
her, right?"  
  
He snorts, and if I'd really expected her here I'd be disappointed right now. "I couldn't get ahold of her.   
No answer at her place or her cellphone, even her beeper's turned off. Thankfully we don't really need   
her for this. She'll either show up before we leave and pretend to work, or we'll head out and send one   
of the military guys after her." Mischief gleams in his eye. "Or maybe the aliens will do us all a favor   
and blast the 24/7 while she's getting one of those disgusting freeze-things."  
  
I resist the urge to agree with that. "I've got to oversee the transfer of the subject." Turning down one of   
the halls, I'm stopped by his firm grip on my wrist.   
  
"One more thing, boss. The military brass, they said they want you there when the aliens make   
contact." His tone makes the 'if' of the statement obvious. 'If' the aliens decide to talk to   
us before blowing us to kingdom come.   
  
"Tell them I'll give them what support I can." He seems uncertain, about to say something, but a guard   
comes rushing up the corridor towards us.  
  
"Professor Membrane, sir. The transports are here. They're asking for you, said you need to get the   
alien out of here quickly as possible." Panting, he pauses to catch his breath. "They said the aliens   
are calling for the world's leaders. There's gonna be some sorta conference, the army guys want our   
alien there, and you with it."   
__________  
  
The corridor is dark as usual. No shouts or screams this time, either. I pass by the bulletproof glass of   
the Cage's window, five well-armed men behind me, the last pulling the bed and restraints. The   
subject's curled up on the floor, sleeping, but his eyes fly open as we enter, and he scurries away   
from the door, his back to the wall, till the cuffs around his wrists pull him up short. Most of the   
hatred is gone from his gaze, and what's there is overshadowed by fear and uncertainty. I've changed   
the routine on him, and he doesn't like it.   
  
His eyes dart about the room, focusing on every movement; a longing glance over his shoulder, and I   
can almost see the thought running through his head, the wishing that his backpack still worked.   
I'm not at all surprised that he struggles stubbornly when the guards grab his arms. By the time   
I've unlocked the chains attached to the cuffs he's tired himself out, and hangs limp, a tiny   
figure dwarfed by the men on each side.   
  
As they strap him down to the bed his gaze follows me. He doesn't say a word, but the question is   
written all over his face. I'm not feeling generous enough to answer.  
___________________  
  
(1) When the World Ends, words and music by Dave Matthews and Glen Ballard, performed by Dave   
Matthews Band, album Everyday, copyright 2000 Golden Grey Ltd./Universal MCA Publishing. I suggest   
you all go out and get the album, you won't be disappointed! It's absolutely beautiful and totally   
unique music. If you've heard 'The Space Between' on the radio (Zim/Dib anyone?) you'll know what   
I'm talkin' about ^_~.   
  
(2) All quotes taken from 'In the End' by Linkin Park. Album, Hybrid Theory. Unfortunately I don't have   
the copyright information and such. Please don't sue me. For the most part the lyrics were added AFTER   
I wrote the chapters. It's almost eerie how closely they fit to the overall theme. Thank goodness for   
that epiphany, which came at work. It's nice working at a place I can listen to the radio. If you   
haven't heard this one yet, or 'Crawling', which has also been getting alot of play, you're missing   
out. It's truly spectacular music, especially if you like it angsty ^_^. Pick up the CD, won't you? 


	3. Chapter Two: Gaz-Contrition

Disclaimer (Don'tcha love these?): Invader Zim belongs to the Almighty Thinnest Jhonen   
Vasquez, and his army of doom-sporks, and the sentient dust-bunnies at Nickelodeon.   
Aw, aren't they cute? I do this only out of the deepest respect for the characters and the   
great, great mind that created them. I mean it. Vasquez, if you're reading...damn you're a   
genius.   
  
Oh, Dev and Zey, and any other characters NOT from Invader Zim, are mine. If Vasquez   
wanted to use them he could, but you guys aren't Vasquez, so ask first, please.   
  
Any reviews you give to me will pleeeee-ase Pustulio! Flames will be treated with the same   
loving care you would expect from Nny, and any survivors will be fed to my pet Velociraptor.   
  
__________  
  
When the World Ends  
__________  
  
-Things aren't the way they were before  
You wouldn't even recognize me anymore  
Not that you knew me back then  
But it all comes back to me in the end  
I kept everything inside  
And even though I tried  
It all fell apart  
What it meant to me will eventually be a  
Memory of a time when I tried so hard-  
  
-Chapter Two: Gaz-Contrition-  
  
Fear is feeling your sanity slipping away, little by little, and being unable to stop it.   
  
Fear is suddenly discovering that your passion, the one thing that drives you, makes you   
live, adapt, grow...is gone.   
  
Fear is knowing the uncertainty of one's own mortality, a healthy fear which all must   
face eventually. I know what it is to contemplate death. When a man tells you he doesn't   
fear death he's lying, or he's a fool.  
  
Of all the fears in the world, only a few are valid. Only a few are possible enough to   
frighten. Only a few are real enough to cause that utter terror, the kind that gnaws its   
way into the soul and puts its vicelike hold on both thoughts and deeds. Everyone   
believes all their petty concerns are worth worrying about. That whether or not they   
can afford luxury has some bearing on their lives. That it is necessary for people,   
even people they hate, to love them or respect them, or fear them. They focus on things   
without meaning, so they won't have to see what is really crucial, what can truly   
horrify. These people don't know fear.  
  
I know fear. I was painfully familiar with my particular fear. I didn't acknowledge it, but   
I was aware of it, the possibility that the ones I loved would be taken from me, and there   
would be nothing I could do to save them.   
  
My worst fear was that simply because I knew just how close it was. It was close enough   
to come true.   
____________________  
  
I don't know how I knew that something was wrong. Dib had been gone all day, had shouted   
something about an errand before disappearing out the front door into an overcast morning.   
Nothing suspicious there. For months Dib had been spending most of his time out of the   
house. After much discussion on the matter Zim and I decided the idiot must've found   
himself a girlfriend or some other such nonsense. Our teasing was merciless, but we both   
let him know, in our own ways, that we were happy for him.  
  
But that day it hit me, without warning or reason. The certainty that nothing was right,   
that Dib's behavior was off and the cause was anything but innocent. There were no clues   
to find, no actions or words that should've given him away, but every instinct I had was   
suddenly blazing.   
  
By the time I flung open the door and ran outside, a slightly cloudy day had become a   
storm-wracked night. I didn't bother to turn back for my coat and umbrella, they wouldn't   
have kept me any drier in such a downpour. Storms had always brought me more comfort than   
I thought possible, but this one aided me in a different way. The cold pushed me onward,   
heightened my senses and put my reflexes on edge, while the rain's constant touch dulled   
the sudden surge of fear until I could ignore it.   
  
The few minutes run stretched on interminably, like one of those oh-so-frustrating dreams,   
where you're chasing after something that gets farther away with every step. I wasn't even   
halfway to his house when I heard the voices, ringing through the air, echoing off the   
walls of the alley ahead, muffled by distance. I'm surprised they carried at all through   
the blanketing rain. They must've been yelling really loudly.   
  
I turned down the alley, but froze at the end, hidden in the shadow of the buildings, when   
a figure came into view. Though he waited under an intermittently flickering streetlamp, he   
was little more than darkness. His trenchcoat seemed to absorb the dim light, as did his   
clothes; dark pants, dark shirt, dark boots. His pale face glowed in stark contrast, split   
down the middle by a thick ebony strand weighted down with water. His head was bowed. I   
couldn't see his eyes.  
  
He didn't see me, and I stayed where I was. From there I could hear the cries more clearly.   
They weren't as close as I'd first thought, but they were getting closer, along with the   
sound of footsteps, boots clicking on the pavement, rapid fire. Another figure burst onto   
the scene, one much smaller. He ran until he spotted Dib, almost managed to make it to the   
circle of light before giving in to exhaustion.   
  
Panting, he crouched down, ready to jump back up when the voices got too close. His   
breathing was painful to listen to. A thin tendril of steam curled up from under his black   
wig. Bathing in a paste mixture was enough to protect his skin from the touch of water, but   
it could and did wear off. Zim couldn't stay out much longer.   
  
Once he'd caught his breath, he forced himself to his feet again and walked over to Dib, a   
slight limp in his step. "Dib, they found me. I don't know how...GIR's keeping them busy..."   
he glanced over his shoulder as the voices grew louder, then walked past Dib, mumbling   
curses and vague threats. When he realized Dib didn't follow, Zim paused and looked back,   
tilted his head, for all the world resembling some puppy dog confused by it's master's   
behavior.   
  
"Coming?" The question was quick, clipped, irritated but underlaid with fear. Zim's eyes   
darted down the street as the voices grew louder. He shifted his weight, looked ready to   
run, Dib or no Dib. Then, my brother looked up. He faced Zim, so I couldn't see his eyes.   
I guess I should be glad for that. Whatever Zim saw there made him nervous. He nodded,   
took a deep breath before turning his back to Dib and continuing down the road, towards   
our house.   
  
Did I say that night was like a dream? It wasn't. It was my nightmare. And just like a   
nightmare I couldn't do a damn thing as Dib followed Zim, as he pulled the long metal rod   
from under his trenchcoat... Zim hadn't gone five steps when Dib jabbed the tazer into   
his back, right between his shoulders.   
  
Zim's body stiffened abruptly, his back arching for a painful moment, his mouth open in a   
soundless cry, before he fell to his hands and knees in the street. His wig slipped off   
his head, exposing two frail antennae. He looked so strange as he stared up at Dib, his   
human eyes and alien features in unnatural contrast, as if at war with each other. But   
his gaze held an agonized question. I wish I knew if whatever he saw on Dib's face gave   
him the answer.   
  
Dib stuck the tazer in his side, and Zim's harsh cry rang out, then died as he sank to the   
wet ground. The rain began to pound down even harder, and for minutes I couldn't move,   
couldn't think.   
  
The quiet was broken by the whine and rumble of an engine. GIR shot onto the scene, his   
jets keeping him ahead of and above the group of soldiers pursuing him, far behind. At   
first GIR was giggling, no doubt seeing it as a game. The streetlight reflected off   
gleaming metal as he flew up to Dib and tried to wrap his short arms around him. But   
his laughter ceased as he caught sight of the still form lying in a puddle. He dropped   
to the ground next to Zim, poked his shoulder gently.  
  
"Master?" GIR nudged him, more forceful, and when he got no response, started to shake   
him. "Master?! Master, what's wrong?" His voice became even more high-pitched, panicky,   
and moisture that wasn't rain dripped from his cyan eyes. He finally leapt to his feet   
and turned a furious gaze on Dib. That emotion, coming from him, was so wrong.  
  
"What's wrong with Master?" He pointed an accusing finger at Dib. The soldiers chose that   
moment to show up. They circled the scene and aimed their weapons at GIR, who didn't seem   
to notice. "What did you do to Master?" His voice broke and changed pitch on the last word,   
dropping, and his eyes flashed red. Even with the reasoning capacity of an infant he knew   
who was to blame. All of a sudden dozens of guns and lasers were sticking out of his head,   
all trained on Dib. "I won't let you hurt Master."  
  
GIR didn't even see the soldier toss a small silver rectangle at his back. A magnetic   
click sounded as it made contact and six metal arms wrapped around his tiny frame. A   
strong surge of electricity and he fell, landing on his back beside Zim, eyes black.   
  
The soldiers moved in, quick and efficient, lifted Zim's limp form and called for a   
clean-up crew to remove any evidence. Dib, who hadn't moved since GIR showed up, bent   
over and picked the little robot up. Then he turned and looked me straight in the eye.   
I ran down the alley and didn't look back.  
  
There was nothing I could do. And if I kept telling myself that, I might've believed it.   
So, I didn't.  
____________________  
  
The news is filled with the invasion. I sit on my couch, only half aware of the images   
flashing by on the TV screen. With 24 hour coverage on every channel, replays have taken   
over. They're not getting any new footage, so they continue to run the same thing over and   
over. By now every image is ingrained in my mind. The shots of Zim's old satellite, now   
charred and blasted. The ships, gleaming magenta in the last rays of sunlight; they all   
carry the same symbols that were scattered about Zim's lab, the Irken face, stylised in   
either black silhouette or color. And then there's the footage of Zim.  
  
Dib must be furious, knowing that someone managed to sneak that out of the lab. It's only   
a short, grainy clip, taken from the security cameras. The first time it aired it was   
longer, the full clip. I still don't know how they managed to sneak that past their   
censors or whoever deals with that sort of thing. Now it just shows Zim being dragged   
into a stark white room, kicking and screaming all the way. He's strapped down to a metal   
table in the center, then Dib enters, flanked by two others in white labcoats and goggles.   
It ends with Dib about to pierce his green skin with a scalpel.   
  
Since that's the only footage anyone has of an Irken, it's been getting a lot of play.   
A whole lot. Someone made a hell of a lot of money off it, I'm sure. Did I mention that   
I hate the press?   
  
Squeaking noises intrude on my TV-induced trance. GIR walks in the door, munching on a   
cupcake, the usual goofy grin on his face. He hops up on the couch with me and gives me   
a kiss, smearing chocolate all over my cheek, then cuddles up next to me.   
"What'cha watching?"   
  
"Nothing important." I grab the remote and turn off the television. That footage is the   
last thing he needs to see.   
  
When I convinced Dib to give GIR to me, I never expected to be able to fix him, but I had   
to at least try. I owed Zim that much. But it turned out I didn't have to. When I got   
him home I sat him down on my bed and went to set up dad's lab. I came back to his high   
pitched giggling. He'd found a flashlight somewhere, and was hiding under the blankets   
making shadow puppets. Apparently he was 'faking' being broken. The scientists scared him   
so he put himself in some kind of suspend mode. I still don't know what woke him up.   
  
He seems to have decided I'm his replacement 'master'. I'd like to think he loves me, in   
his child-like way, but I know it's not the same devotion he has for Zim. He's changed   
since his master was captured. He's still mindlessly happy, usually, living in the bliss   
of the totally innocent. His hyperactive spells aren't as frequent or as long as they   
used to be. I remember how much Zim complained about GIR's insane behavior, though I   
know that deep down he loved it.   
  
Now GIR is quieter...quiet for GIR, anyway. He hasn't broken anything in the lab yet, and   
he refrains from running on the walls, or screaming like he used to. It's a good thing,   
cause I don't know that this house could take it as well as Zim's did. Though it's not   
the same as before...but then nothing ever will be, no matter how much we want it to.   
  
GIR's more sensitive now, too. Especially to touch. When he's around me there's always   
got to be some contact. Most of the time he'll just snuggle close, like he's doing now,   
and he's taken to sleeping on my feet at night. With the very few visitors I've had over,   
he's been shy, almost frightened, and yet he'll cuddle up to Dib just as readily as he   
will with me. When I ask him about that night, he doesn't seem to remember anything other   
than Zim being gone, taken. He doesn't remember Dib's role in it, and since Dib was a   
friend before, GIR still sees him as one.   
  
Turning off the news seems to have averted another one of his bouts of melancholy. That's   
the most marked change in his personality, the short periods of silence where I know he's   
thinking about Zim. They were coming less often, until that last time Dib showed up on   
my doorstep.   
  
GIR happens to glance out the window and spots the pinpoint glow of fireflies in the dark.   
He jumps to the floor and bounces with excitement. "Lighty bugs!" He's halfway to the   
front door before he remembers I'm here. "Can I go play with the buggies? Please, Master!"   
  
The smile on his face forces me to grin. "Put your disguise on first."   
  
"Yay!" He's dressed and out the door in less than thirty seconds. I consider playing a   
video game, but settle on the news instead. With GIR gone, my mood has soured again,   
and I don't want to tarnish a good game with this kind of attitude.   
  
They're now showing something new, or at least something they haven't shown since   
this coverage started; the protesters outside of the lab, waving picket signs. I couldn't   
stand to be around them any more than I could stand to be around those scientists, or   
the people crying for the aliens' blood in the streets. Sure the protesters are doing their   
charitable best to free Zim. But they're all working for their own reasons, guarding their   
own interests. To them he's not a person. He's a dumb animal, just the latest in a line of   
exotic abnormalities.   
  
They could never have done him any good. Even before the aliens, they didn't have a   
chance at helping him. Any progress they might've made was impeded by endless red   
tape, strengthened by simple human fear. Dib probably finds the whole thing laughable.   
  
I still wonder why. Why he did what he did. In the end, I don't think it was even about   
humanity. At least, not in the way he thought. It wasn't about him trying to save the   
world, it was about the way the world treated him. All his life he was looked at as a   
freak, shunned like an outsider. Perhaps he just wanted to be proven right, to have   
their praise for once, instead of their contempt. The contempt of the contemptuous. He   
did it for vindication.  
  
Zim is the victim in this hell, but, I think, so is Dib. I'm the only one who's   
accountable. I left him to my brother, turned my back on the only friendship I've ever   
known. War is here, and there's two ways out for Zim. One is death, and the other...  
  
Time to pack.  
___________________  
  
(1) When the World Ends, words and music by Dave Matthews and Glen Ballard, performed by  
Dave Matthews Band, album Everyday, copyright 2000 Golden Grey Ltd./Universal MCA   
Publishing. I suggest you all go out and get the album, you won't be disappointed! It's   
absolutely beautiful and totally unique music. If you've heard 'The Space Between' on the   
radio (Zim/Dib anyone?) you'll know what I'm talkin' about ^_~.   
  
(2) All quotes taken from 'In the End' by Linkin Park. Album, Hybrid Theory. Unfortunately   
I don't have the copyright information and such. Please don't sue me. For the most part   
the lyrics were added AFTER I wrote the chapters. It's almost eerie how closely they fit   
to the overall theme. Thank goodness for that epiphany, which came at work. It's nice   
working at a place I can listen to the radio. If you haven't heard this one yet, or   
'Crawling', which has also been getting alot of play, you're missing out. It's truly   
spectacular music, especially if you like it angsty ^_^. Pick up the CD, won't you? 


	4. Chapter Three: GIR-Innocence

11/16/01-In honor of THE OFFICIAL INVADER ZIM T-SHIRTS prances around in one of her two new tees until she hits a wall *Ahem* I have decided, in my Zim-high state of insanity, to post another chapter of WtWE. For PICTURES of the NEW OFFICIAL INVADER ZIM T-SHIRTS (can you tell I'm excited?) head on over to Planet Irth, the best little Zim-site on the net! (http://z_questionmark.tripod.com/planetirth/)  
  
Additional notes: Okay, I know I said at the get-go that I would be updating once a week or so. I'm not. I have grown bored with that. I have now decided to update whenever I write a new chapter. I am currently a chapter ahead, but this will keep me writing a lot faster, which is a good thing, ne? Also, it has come to my attention that I apparently wasn't accepting anonymous reviews. I was not aware of this. It has been fixed. On the off chance that there were people who wanted to review but couldn't, it's working again, and thankies in advance. Any reviews you give to me will pleeeeeease Pustulio. Pustulio demands your reviews! Now, tell me the flaws in my house's defenses..... Sorry, got off on a tangent there ^_^. Huge thanks also go out to the people who've reviewed so far! I loveded you guys, I loveded you! Okay, have I bored you to death yet? Do you look like Zim after six straight months of the Doom Song? I'll stop boring you. This chapter is short but I have to admit I'm proud of it. Isn't GIR cute? Bring the pain!  
  
Disclaimer (Don'tcha love these?): Invader Zim belongs to the Almighty Thinnest Jhonen Vasquez, and his army of doom-sporks, and the sentient dust- bunnies at Nickelodeon. Aw, aren't they cute? I do this only out of the deepest respect for the characters and the great, great mind that created them. I mean it. Vasquez, if you're reading...damn you're a genius.  
  
Oh, Dev and Zey, and any other characters NOT from Invader Zim, are mine. If Vasquez wanted to use them he could, but you guys aren't Vasquez, so ask first, please.  
  
Any reviews you give to me will pleeeee-ase Pustulio! Flames will be treated with the same loving care you would expect from Nny, and any survivors will be fed to my pet Velociraptor.  
  
__________  
  
When the World Ends  
  
__________  
  
-Keep that in mind I designed this rhyme to explain in due time  
  
All I know-  
  
-Chapter Three: GIR-Innocence-  
  
Whee! Lighty bugs! Pretty lights twinkle glow dark to bright, buggies buggies everywhere and not a moose in sight, they're glowing! My tummy glows too, I'm a lighty bug! Hee hee! New-Master let me out to play with the buggies, I Love New-Master, Love her almost as much as...  
  
I'm trying to catch the buggies. I'm going to catch them, see buggies I'm coming! I'm chasing them, all over the green grass, even on the brown grass, I'm chasing them gonna catch them what's that? In the sky in the dark purple and pink and red and green and black and...ships! Not chips, I like chips, sour cream and broccoli chips with dips, the ships are flying still not moving, they're just like the ship that...I can see people in them, if I stretch my eyes out WAAAAAAAAY far, green people with red eyes and purple eyes and brown eyes and all kinds'a eyes but none of them see me, even with all those eyes, why didn't they help?  
  
...I don't like those eyes, I'm going away, don't wanna be around those eyes, bye bye buggies! I'll catch you tomorrow, gonna get food want something to eat, buggies taste good but they're more fun to watch, I love you buggies, food, kitchen, taquitos and spam! Spam spam spam spammy spam, maybe New-Master wants spam, I'm gonna find her, oooooooh, TV! Why's New- Master's Dib-brother on the TV? I like Dib-brother, he's nice, he doesn't visit anymore, why, when he visits he's nice, I remember Dib-brother from before, before Master...before...  
  
I don't like this channel, wanna watch Scary Monkey but he's not on any channel, why? New-Master can tell me, New-Master needs her spam too, time to find New-Master, turn off the TV and go through the rooms, it's dark, I'm gonna sneak up on New-Master, she'll like that! New-Master loves playing games with me I love New-Master, I'm creeping real good, gonna sneak up good she can't hear me, where is she, Noise! New-Master, she's in the bedroom, I'm sneaking up on her she'll never know until I jump up and-  
  
"Done with the lightning bugs?"  
  
How'd she do that? "Aw, I was being a good creeper, how'd you know, I was being so good..."  
  
"You were giggling, GIR." I love it when New-Master smiles, she's so pretty when she smiles, almost as pretty as chocolate covered donuts-fried cyclops, or even cupcakes! What's she doing, packing stuff into her bag, my favorite bag, her pretty black backy-pack that's so nice to hide in, covers my head real good when I play, stuff like shirts and shoes and pants and moose! Mr. Scolex Moose, I grab him and give him a squeeze, he squeaks, happy, Mr. Scolex Moose loves me I love Mr. Scolex Moose-  
  
New-Master's leaving, goin' out the door down the hall to the kitchen? To the down down downstairs, to the lab, Mr. Scolex Moose squeaks again he doesn't like the lab, New-Master's putting more stuff in her bag, metal stuffs, lots of 'em she's going somewhere where's she going? Why's she need that stuffs? "Master, what'cha doin'?"  
  
She looks sad, I don't like it when New-Master's sad, but then she's happy again!  
  
"We're going to see your Master, GIR."  
  
Master?  
  
"YAY!"  
  
Wait...  
  
"Can I wear a hat?"  
  
"...Yes, GIR, you can wear a hat."  
  
"YAY!"  
  
  
  
___________________  
  
(1) When the World Ends, words and music by Dave Matthews and Glen Ballard, performed by Dave Matthews Band, album Everyday, copyright 2000 Golden Grey Ltd./Universal MCA Publishing. I suggest you all go out and get the album, you won't be disappointed! It's absolutely beautiful and totally unique music. If you've heard 'The Space Between' on the radio (Zim/Dib anyone?) you'll know what I'm talkin' about ^_~.  
  
(2) All quotes taken from 'In the End' by Linkin Park. Album, Hybrid Theory. Unfortunately I don't have the copyright information and such. Please don't sue me. For the most part the lyrics were added AFTER I wrote the chapters. It's almost eerie how closely they fit to the overall theme. Thank goodness for that epiphany, which came at work. It's nice working at a place I can listen to the radio. If you haven't heard this one yet, or 'Crawling', which has also been getting alot of play, you're missing out. It's truly spectacular music, especially if you like it angsty ^_^. Pick up the CD, won't you? 


	5. Chapter Four: Dib-Veracity

Disclaimer (Don'tcha love these?): Invader Zim belongs to the Almighty Thinnest Jhonen Vasquez, and his army of doom-sporks, and the sentient dust- bunnies at Nickelodeon. Aw, aren't they cute? I do this only out of the deepest respect for the characters and the great, great mind that created them. I mean it. Vasquez, if you're reading...damn you're a genius.  
  
Oh, Dev and Zey, and any other characters NOT from Invader Zim, are mine. If Vasquez wanted to use them he could, but you guys aren't Vasquez, so ask first, please.  
  
Any reviews you give to me will pleeeee-ase Pustulio! Flames will be treated with the same loving care you would expect from Nny, and any survivors will be fed to my pet Velociraptor.  
  
____________  
  
When the World Ends  
  
____________  
  
-Time is a valuable thing  
  
Watch it fly by as the pendulum swings  
  
Watch it count down to the end of the day  
  
The clock ticks life away  
  
It's so unreal  
  
Didn't look out below  
  
Watch the time go right out the window  
  
Trying to hold on, didn't even know  
  
I wasted it all just to watch you go-  
  
-Chapter Four: Dib-Veracity-  
  
The military is in charge here. The power I had has been slipping away, little by little. The final decision, what's going to happen to the alien, is still dependant on me. I won't let them take that away, not a chance in hell I'll give him up. But the project is out of my control.  
  
We are at war. It's an undeclared war, true. The aliens' ships are still hovering, neither attacking nor making offers of  
  
peace. Not that they would. I discovered long ago just what they had planned for us, and a truce is not a part of it. By now, the declaration of war is a mere formality.  
  
In war, power reverts to the military, as a rule. And while the attacks haven't come yet, the aliens' actions are all but openly hostile. So every army base, every weapons depot, every seat of power in all the countries of the world, all are under full security lock down.  
  
And it's even tighter in the US. We've been preparing for far too long to have been caught unawares. They're putting the finishing touches on the spaceships they managed to devise through reverse-engineering. The atmosphere now is a swirl of anger and patriotism. It's amazing the amount of people who've joined the military. The day the news broke there was an overwhelming level of volunteers.  
  
Nothing brings humanity together like a common enemy. Around the base we've been shipped to (for our protection, of course) there's a sickening pervasion of bloodlust. These people have seen one too many galactic invasion movies.  
  
The anticipation is streaming off the nowhere-near-somber-enough soldier who's escorting me now. He barely looks old enough to have made it in the army, and he's obviously not mature enough to know just what he's gotten himself into. He's jabbering on about how much alien ass he wants to kick, and gushing with praise over my capture of the 'hideous space monster'. I've been awaiting this event with trepidation, but after his endless talk I'm somewhat relieved to finally reach the room where the conference is to be held.  
  
The boy offers me a seat at the massive table in the center of the room, but I refuse. I prefer standing when faced with a confrontation. Besides, it helps to alleviate some of the feeling of inferiority brought on by the giant monitor on the north wall. Are they trying to make the aliens more intimidating?  
  
Several people wander around the room, adjusting the monitor and the cameras set up against the same wall. World leaders and dignitaries all over the planet are already taking their places before similar setups. The aliens would only allow a video-conference, of course. The monitor flares to life, displaying smaller images of different men and women down one side. I never envied politicians before, and now I can't help but pity them. This is far beyond what any of them expected. Even with the proof, many still refused to believe this would happen, and now that reality has struck them, the shock is quite obvious on their faces.  
  
After a few minutes one side of the screen is filled, as late parties arrive. An uncomfortable cold has settled over my stomach. There's only one space left, the one for the aliens. They're making everyone wait, reinforcing their control over the situation. The people talk amongst themselves, many wiping at the nervous sweat on their brows or wringing their hands. Some remain silent. None of them seem to notice me, or care that I'm here, which suits me fine.  
  
A small entourage marches into the room suddenly, several soldiers led by a highly decorated man who walks up to me and salutes. I nod, as the soldiers scatter to the walls and stand at attention. The man doesn't bother to introduce himself. "We're almost ready to begin. The aliens' are being patched through into the link and we should have visual any minute now. If any of them," he indicates the humans on the screen, "need your expertise, go ahead. Otherwise you probably won't have to say anything."  
  
"Where is-" I don't finish my question. The mood in the room shifts abruptly, every person on the screen and in the room going utterly silent. The malice intensifies ten-fold. I don't even have to turn around to know that the alien, our alien, is being led in. His wrists are encased in thick metal cuffs, and he's flanked by half a dozen soldiers, any one of which is almost three times his height. Unlike his behavior at the lab, his back is straight and proud, antennae stretched forward and red eyes glaring at anything that moves. Oh, he puts on quite a show. I'm the only one who can detect the fear hiding in his bravado.  
  
Behind him come Dev and Zey, Dev managing to look serious while Zey acts bored. Dev stands next to me and Zey follows, seemingly for the hell of it. All eyes are still on the alien, so no one notices the disturbed glance Dev shoots my way. I try to ask him what's wrong, but the flashing of the monitor stops everyone cold. It's time.  
  
The two figures that appear are out of my worst nightmares. They resemble, vaguely, the alien that I've become so very familiar with, but on a far larger and more intimidating scale. I'm reminded of what he used to call them. The Tallest. If the smaller aliens at the surrounding consoles are the same size as ours, then the leaders seem to be taller than most humans. Their skin is the exact same green tone as our subject's. In every feature the two could be twins, save for their eyes, one pair dark purple, the other magenta. Their armor is colored to match, one's in various shades of purple and white, the other red and black, and my mind automatically dubs them 'Red' and 'Purple'. They're both thin to the point of frailty, and yet are the most imposing creatures I've ever seen.  
  
Silence hangs over the room, cold with fear, and oppressive. Even our alien is affected. He seems uncertain, torn, as if trying to decide whether to bow to his leaders or spit at them. It's long moments before someone manages to speak up and begin the formalities. Names of politicians are thrown about by moderators, and ignored, if the expressions of disinterest on the aliens' faces are any indication. Their brightly colored eyes keep flicking back to our alien, their depths unreadable.  
  
Red finally turns to one of the moderators with an irritated, "Do you people ever shut up?"  
  
The politicians all freeze, nobody daring to move, until that same decorated officer steps forward, chest out and nose in the air. "Sirs, General Noosance here. We have a proposition for you." The Tallest glare at him, and Red bares his teeth. A hissing growl escapes him before Purple puts out a gauntleted hand. The general seems unphased. "Your soldier here left an orbiting base above our planet. We had a team of scientists on board, a team that we haven't heard from since your arrival."  
  
I don't like where this is going. Dev catches my eye, shoots me a look which says it all. This is what he was worried about, what he didn't have the chance to warn me of. The general continues. "What conditions are our people in now?"  
  
Purple glances at Red. "What did we do with those worms, anyway?"  
  
"I don't know. You didn't have them thrown in the Nha-Rash pit yet, did you?"  
  
"No, I thought you were gonna do it."  
  
"Well then they must be around here somewhere, alive...Probably."  
  
Their casual, off-hand manner is sending stabs of ice down my spine. The general's face has been getting darker with each word, but he manages to control his rage, barely. "If you can verify the...continued good health of our people, I have been authorized to make a deal with you."  
  
They both smile at that. "What could you possibly offer us?"  
  
The general's haughty demeanor never wavers. "A prisoner exchange. Our people for yours."  
  
Shocked silence blankets the room for desperate moments, and then it's broken by something I never expected to hear from the aliens; laughter. The entire place is filled with it. When it finally dies down, Purple is rubbing his antennae, while Red leans against him, trying to catch his breath. "You think we actually WANT him back?"  
  
Purple wipes at his eyes and chuckles again. "We never wanted him in the first place. Didn't he tell you that already? Zim had his chance to serve us, and he screwed it up royally."  
  
Red nods. "Besides, Irken soldiers are always willing to die for their great leaders. Right, Zim?" He levels a smug grin at our alien, and the malicious glint in his eye makes my skin crawl. This isn't right. They're not supposed to be like this.  
  
Suddenly a stream of words escapes our alien's lips. He's speaking in Irken again, but the tone is understandable to everyone here. He finishes with a harsh, guttural phrase and a familiar, middle-fingered human gesture which makes the meaning obvious. Dev and some of the younger officers smirk at that, but he doesn't notice. His gaze is locked on the monitor. The hatred is searing. He's only looked at one other being that way. Can't say I enjoyed being on the receiving end. Wonder how his 'leaders' like it.  
  
"Why you little ingrate," Purple growls.  
  
Red nods his agreement, arms crossed, but the sage expression he wears is marred by his mocking tone. "You just can't make good help these days."  
  
"Why did you even bother to call this meeting?!"  
  
I can't believe I just said that. Or rather, shouted. All attention is now centered on me. I think the general's ready to strangle me. Even the Tallest seem surprised at first. They share a look, then Purple says bluntly, "Duh."  
  
I don't believe this. "What?"  
  
He stares at me as if I'm stupid. "We called to see if you pathetic Earthenoids are ready to surrender yet."  
  
The explanation's taken up by Red. "Normally we infiltrate then destroy without warning. Thanks to this little mistake of genetics, however," he glares at our alien, "we've decided to skip right to the destroying part. We just wanted to see if you'd give yourselves up before we do. It saves us a lot of trouble, not to mention ammo."  
  
More than a few jaws drop open at that, mine included. Purple's still staring at me, his brow now furrowed slightly as if he's confused. The strength of his gaze is unnerving, unblinking, like some giant snake or insect. It's almost frightening in its intensity, and for all their shallow and childish manner, I am acutely and abruptly aware that these creatures are more dangerous than I had ever guessed.  
  
"Who are you?"  
  
The question breaks my forced concentration. Red gives his counterpart a curious look, and asks, "What?"  
  
"Look at him." Purple stabs a finger in my direction, his eyes never leaving mine. "Doesn't he look familiar?"  
  
Red watches me for a moment, and I have to fight the urge to squirm. "I don't know, all these worms look the same to me. What're you getting at?"  
  
The question is ignored as Purple repeats his own. "Who are you?"  
  
This is getting weird. As if it wasn't already. I straighten my shoulders and respond. "Professor Membrane, Paranormal Investigator."  
  
Now Red is regarding me as well. "Membrane? Membrane....Hey, wait a minute, I DO know that name!" A wicked grin spreads across his face. "Zim, you let THIS worm defeat you? You're even more pathetic than we thought!"  
  
"Hey!" I don't know exactly what I was going to say, but Purple cuts me off before I even get started.  
  
"Well, now that that mystery's solved, we don't have to hang around here anymore. You have one last chance, Earthenoids. What'll it be, death, destruction, and all around doom, or becoming a part of the great and glorious Irken Empire? You've got twenty-four hours to decide, have a nice day."  
  
Red gives a wave and a smirk just before the monitor blacks out, his final words ringing in the air. "And have a good life, Zim, whatever's left of it!"  
  
_____  
  
(1) When the World Ends, words and music by Dave Matthews and Glen Ballard, performed by Dave Matthews Band, album Everyday, copyright 2000 Golden Grey Ltd./Universal MCA Publishing. While this fic is not meant to have pairings of any sort, the lyrics of this song do fit it rather nicely at times ^_^. I suggest you all go out and get the album, you won't be disappointed! It's absolutely beautiful and totally unique music. If you've heard 'The Space Between' on the radio (Zim/Dib anyone?) you'll know what I'm talkin' about ^_~.  
  
(2) All quotes taken from 'In the End' by Linkin Park. Album, Hybrid Theory. Unfortunately I don't have the copyright information and such. Please don't sue me. For the most part the lyrics were added AFTER I wrote the chapters. It's almost eerie how closely they fit to the overall theme. Thank goodness for that epiphany, which came at work. It's nice working at a place I can listen to the radio. If you haven't heard this one yet, or 'Crawling', which has also been getting alot of play, you're missing out. It's truly spectacular music, especially if you like it angsty ^_^. Pick up the CD, won't you? 


	6. Chapter Five: Zey-Sadism

11/25/01Wheeee! I'm back! (Be afraid, be very afraid.) If that marathon doesn't come on tomorrow, I am going to be ever so pissed! First off, I'd like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who's reviewed Vindication, When the World Ends, and my little slash fic It's Been A While. Thanks to all you glorious peoples, my Zim fics have broken 50 reviews. I'm so happy! Super Huge-a-ma-gug Glomps are in order for TD, my best friend and the best beta-reader a girl could ask for, Amethyst Soul, invaluable beta and a damn fun person to work for, or be friends with for that matter, and Ztarlight, who has reviewed every single IZ story I've written. Also to deep breath Invader ZaiFae, Cold Silence, Tizzy R., Taryn, The Dark Jaguar, Pepperleen, Idgiebay, Tammy-ddrtrr, Aliet Faslami, the exploding turkey, Purple, Invader Miz, Jibaku-chan, Verdandi, Celtic Air, Dark Kinsey, shadowwolf75, 'nother deep breath Kelsey, DibFanatic, Zella, angel, Thordis, Laura, Fyreneko, Invader Bast, Arm&Leg, Kaged Tiger, and Meg, thank you from the depths of my squeedly-spooch. My ego will forever be in debt to you all.  
  
Now...I debated on doing this chapter from Zey's POV, but finally decided that that was the only way I could get the effect I wanted. Warning: Zey is a sadist in the truest sense of the word. If you don't know what that means go get your dictionary. Some things in here some people may find disturbing. It's still PG-13 rated, but just be warned. I make no apologies for it. I love this chapter dearly, and it was probably the most fun to write. Hopefully you'll enjoy it as much as I enjoyed writing it. Bring the pain!!!  
  
  
  
Disclaimer (Don'tcha love these?): Invader Zim belongs to the Almighty Thinnest Jhonen Vasquez, and his army of doom-sporks, and the sentient dust- bunnies at Nickelodeon. Aw, aren't they cute? I do this only out of the deepest respect for the characters and the great, great mind that created them. I mean it. Vasquez, if you're reading...damn you're a genius.  
  
Oh, Dev and Zey, and any other characters NOT from Invader Zim, are mine. If Vasquez wanted to use them he could, but you guys aren't Vasquez, so ask first, please.  
  
Any reviews you give to me will pleeeee-ase Pustulio! Flames will be treated with the same loving care you would expect from Nny, and any survivors will be fed to my pet Velociraptor.  
  
___________  
  
When the World Ends  
  
___________  
  
-Time is a valuable thing  
  
Watch it fly by as the pendulum swings  
  
Watch it count down to the end of the day  
  
The clock ticks life away  
  
It's so unreal-  
  
-Chapter Five: Zey-Sadism-  
  
Well that was interesting.  
  
The giant screen is dark on one side, the politicians on the other still staring, unable to comprehend the fact of their dismissal. Stupid. But all politicians are, of course.  
  
Membrane's shouting at the general, a very un-Membrane-like thing to do. It's about damn time he let some of that repressed anger out. The issues that guy must have...  
  
Membrane storms out of the room, Dev following on his heels like some lapdog. These people are all pathetic. People are pathetic, period, but I don't complain. It makes it that much easier to take advantage of them. I catch the general's attention. We have business to discuss. His face is still red from the conference. He's angry over the loss of civilians, of course. Silly, but hopefully it will work to my advantage.  
  
Determination has taken a firm hold in his features by the time he reaches me. "It must be done now. Have you come to a decision?"  
  
"Is the money in the bank?" Like I actually care about the money. It's just an added bonus. I love getting paid to do what I love.  
  
"Yes, half now, the other half to be transmitted when you're done. We need information. I don't care how you get it, do what you have to. He's lost all use as a bargaining chip, and if we need another one there's a whole fleet out there."  
  
I allow a smirk as I walk out the door. This is going to be fun.  
  
_____  
  
The general sent two soldiers to help me with the tricky business of moving the alien. We make it to the empty lab I've chosen for the occasion, one that's out of the way and all but deserted. I'd picked it out earlier. The soundproofing was what finalized my decision.  
  
The soldiers strap him down to the operating table, and move to stand guard, but I shove them out the door and tell them in no uncertain terms to get lost. The less witnesses there are, the better. Besides, I work best without an audience.  
  
Now, to the alien. I've been wanting to do this ever since I first joined the project. Ever since I first saw those defiant red eyes, I knew I had to be the one to break him. It was a stroke of luck that the general offered me the opportunity. They needed someone who could get close to him, who'd be willing to play double agent long enough to wring the information they needed from him.  
  
If there's one thing I've learned about the military, it's that they don't like things being out of their control. They've been trying to usurp the project since the beginning. But with Membrane's popularity and the strength of his fame and his father's career behind him, they haven't succeeded. Yet. Good thing too, or I might not be able to do this.  
  
And what a shame that would be.  
  
I walk over to the alien, making an extra effort at keeping my back straight, keeping myself at my full height. I learned early the effect that height has on him, and after seeing his leaders I can understand why. Of course, if I was that fucking small I'd be wary of things twice my size too.  
  
Large red eyes stare back at me, fear and uncertainty swirling in them. He's not stupid, he knows exactly what I'm here to do. I think he's known since the beginning that the others were the only thing keeping him from me. And they are quite obviously not here.  
  
I reach down, run my hand along one thin wrist, up to the strap holding it in place. The skin is raw and bruised. He's been in one form of restraint or another every second since they captured him. It must be very sensitive. I take firm hold of the leather, and pull the strap. He winces, but doesn't say a word. I didn't expect him too anyway. Not yet. He's too strong to break that easily.  
  
I can't hide the smile that crosses my lips. My favorite kind of smile, the one I like to call my 'cat with a limping mouse' smile. I know exactly the kind of effect it has on people, and have learned well how to use it to its fullest potential. And it's working quite well now. The fear in his eyes intensifies, and I reach for the strap again, pull it as tight as possible.  
  
"I am going to make you squirm..." I grab the strap around his other wrist, pull it till a trickle of blood seeps out from beneath. "Make you writhe..." I play with one of his ever-so-sensitive antennae for a second before squeezing it tight. A drop of moisture flows from the corner of his eye, to mingle with the sweat already running down his cheek. "And most importantly..." I lean in close, still gripping his antenna as I whisper, "I'm going to make you scream."  
  
As I release his antenna he pants to catch the breath he'd been holding. His mouth is open, delicate lips parted slightly...  
  
I wonder what an alien tastes like.  
  
He's surprised as I capture his mouth with mine, so surprised he forgets to struggle for a moment. Of course he can't move around anyway so it doesn't really matter. He tastes good, smooth lips, and a hint of some flavor I can't place. His body temperature is lower than a human's, chill. All in all a pleasant experience.  
  
Except for the pain that suddenly strikes my lip. I pull back. The copper taste in the back of my throat tells me about the blood coating my bottom lip. The little bastard bit me.  
  
"You want it rough, eh? Well I can definitely take care of that, don't you worry. We're gonna have a little fun, and then you're gonna tell me all the little secrets you've been keeping from us." I pull out my hand-held tazer, similar to those sold for personal defense, but stronger. A quick jab is enough to ensure at least a half hour of paralysis. He doesn't scream yet, but there's plenty of time for that.  
  
On to my next toy. There's a metal tray of operating utensils sitting next to the table. I pick up the scalpel, run my finger along the blade to test its edge, ignore the sting as it slices a small line in my skin. Perfect.  
  
He's trying not to show fear, ever the warrior I suppose, but his eyes widen as I lower the scalpel to his bare chest. It might be comical, if it weren't so dark. His gaze is locked on the blade, afraid to not see what's coming.  
  
He winces again as it pierces, his breathing becoming heavy with the beginnings of panic. So fucking beautiful.  
  
I decide to give in to a whim, and start a shallow cut, deep enough to hurt but not deep enough to do much damage. When I'm done, a dark purple heart stands out against green skin. And he still hasn't screamed, damn him. Well, I'll take care of that.  
  
"I need a drink. I'll be right back then we can continue. Don't you go anywhere." His taut muscles relax somewhat as I turn to go. A glass of water is just what I need, but I'm not thirsty. He doesn't see the smirk that crosses my lips.  
  
But someone does. For a split second I think I see a figure at the door. I'm readying a good shout at the ignorant soldiers when I realize there's no one there. What the hell?  
  
The hairs on the back of my neck are standing straight up. It feels like I've just been zapped with my tazer. Something is definitely not right here. I look back to the table, but the alien's staring at the ceiling. He couldn't turn his head if he wanted to, obviously he didn't see anything. But...  
  
What the hell? There it was again, the same person, only standing at the other end of the lab, in the open doorway that was closed when I came in. Fuck, this isn't good.  
  
"Who the hell are you?" My voice is steady, though I'm more than a little disturbed. There's no way to get from one end of the lab to the other without going through it.  
  
There's no answer. The silence is eerie, almost unnatural. The alien's trying to see me out of the corner of his eye. A sudden, high pitched giggling erupts from the first door, making him gasp and me jump. Fuck, this is really starting to creep me out. I feel something reach into my pocket. My tazer. I can't react in time, and don't even get to see the person standing behind me before the fire shoots up my side. Ah, fuck.  
  
______  
  
The room blurs into focus. White ceiling, shrouded in darkness, painfully bright light hanging above and behind me, shining into my eyes. What the fuck? A face appears above me, filling my vision with a fuzzy silhouette before it resolves itself into a woman's. Dark, kohl lined eyes, deep violet hair...and a supremely pissed off expression.  
  
"I should thank you for bringing Zim here. So far out of the way, it makes it much easier to steal him." Of course that's what she's after. I remember her now, Membrane's sister. She was here once. She was very upset over the alien, though her brother didn't seem to notice.  
  
Restraints are in place, of course. From the corner of my eye I can just barely make out the alien, lying unmoving on a blanket on the floor. Hugging his neck is that robot that Membrane brought in with him. A wool cap is covering its head, a toque that says 'Squirrel!'. Its silver antenna is sticking out of the top. How the hell did she get that thing working? How the hell did she get it in the first place?!  
  
A squeaking noise draws my attention back to the only other human here. She's wheeling over a machine, the drip device we used on the alien in several experiments. She positions it over my chest. Hell, I can guess where this is headed. This isn't going to be pleasant. She turns it on, and drop after drop slowly falls, soaking my shirt. When it touches my skin it begins to burn.  
  
"Acid. It's not strong. It's even less caustic than...well, than water is to Irkens." The burning is getting painful. She walks over to the alien, lifts the robot off of him gently and sets it on the ground. Picking the alien up and wrapping the blanket around him, she starts out the door, the robot trailing behind, humming to itself. "Someone will find you, eventually. Probably before that does any permanent damage," her voice trails off down the hall.  
  
Oh she's good. She's very good.  
  
_____  
  
(1) When the World Ends, words and music by Dave Matthews and Glen Ballard, performed by Dave Matthews Band, album Everyday, copyright 2000 Golden Grey Ltd./Universal MCA Publishing. While this fic is not meant to have pairings of any sort, the lyrics of this song do fit it rather nicely at times ^_^. I suggest you all go out and get the album, you won't be disappointed! It's absolutely beautiful and totally unique music. If you've heard 'The Space Between' on the radio (Zim/Dib anyone?) you'll know what I'm talkin' about ^_~.  
  
(2) All quotes taken from 'In the End' by Linkin Park. Album, Hybrid Theory. Unfortunately I don't have the copyright information and such. Please don't sue me. For the most part the lyrics were added AFTER I wrote the chapters. It's almost eerie how closely they fit to the overall theme. Thank goodness for that epiphany, which came at work. It's nice working at a place I can listen to the radio. If you haven't heard this one yet, or 'Crawling', which has also been getting alot of play, you're missing out. It's truly spectacular music, especially if you like it angsty ^_^. Pick up the CD, won't you? 


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